“What’s wrong?” Luna went cold. Hugo never swore.
“Luna! There are photos of you eating chocolate penises and rubbing a naked man’s ass.”
“What?”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he gritted out, clearly angry. “In a single week you’ve sullied your brand beyond redemption. Then there’s all this other stuff with you forgetting things or doing them wrong. You’re destroying everything we’ve worked hard for!”
The shock of hearing her closest friend speak to her that way held her speechless.
“I don’t understand what’s going on with you right now. It’s like you’re someone else.”
“I-I need to go.” Luna cut the call and reached for her phone. Plugging it in with hands that shook, she waited nervously for it to charge enough to turn on. When it did, she looked at her social media accounts. Pictures of her were splashed everywhere with headlines like,Have we been fooled this entire time. Is good girl Luna McKinley a fake, andclearly, it’s do as I say, not as I do.She didn’t read the comments; those would be vicious.
She slumped onto the bed. How had these photos got out? Had one of those women at Rory’s party done this? Her heart literally ached that one of the people who she’d come to think of as a friend could do this to her.
Her phone rang, but she ignored it. Texts and message alerts went crazy, and she ignored them too. Checking her emails, she answered the ones she wanted to. As if on autopilot, she went through what she always did when she began her day. Her brand manager said things were going well with the new face care product they were working on, and the woman who cleaned her house said she was on vacation for a month in a few weeks.
Who had posted those photos?
She felt numb.
Hugo kept calling; she kept ignoring him. When someone banged on her door, she ignored them too.
“Open up. It’s Charlie, Luna.”
Grabbing clean clothes from her suitcase, she went into the shower. Only when she was in there with the door locked did she give in and cry.
“What the hell am I supposed to do now?” she whispered into the steam.
Luna wished Nash was here with his no-nonsense manner and nice chest for her to cry all over. But this was her problem, and she always dealt with those head-on. Luna never hid from anything.
The thought of leaving Ryker hollowed her out, and yet the crazy thing about that was, it was here that she’d been attacked. Here that those photos had ruined her reputation. But here she’d also been able to be her most authentic self, and come to the realization of just how empty her life was. Nash was here too. And her in her current mental state, she was not touching that.
Getting out, she dressed. Charlie was still banging on her door.
“I’m not letting you into a guest’s room just because you think I should, Miss Sarah.”
That was Ted’s voice, which meant she better open it. Maybe he didn’t want her here anymore. It was likely the press had called the Lodge wanting a statement.
Behind Miss Sarah were Miss Marla, Bailey, and Rory, who wore dark glasses and was clutching a water bottle. Piper, also in dark glasses, held Grace’s hand and looked pale. With them was Charlie, who seemed to be sweating profusely.
“Luna.” Bailey entered looking like she always did, beautiful and calm. She put her arms gently around Luna and hugged her before stepping back.
They all rushed in as one behind her. Rory got stuck in the doorway with Piper. Grace squeezed through and came to Luna, taking her hand.
“We’re here to save you. Daddy’s coming, but right now you need food.”
“Do I?” Actually, she was hungry, which surprised her. Stress usually had the opposite effect on Luna. Maybe it was the sex? “Shall we find some then?”
She dug out her supplies and grabbed a muesli bar, then handed one to the little girl.
Everyone was now inside, all speaking at once.
“Quiet!” Ted roared. “Sorry, sweetie,” he said to Grace.
“Mummy can roar like that.” The little girl was on the bed now with the TV remote in her hand.
“Why are you all here?” Luna asked after the second bite of her bar.